Bitless bridle.



No. 868,040. PATENTED OCT. 15, 1907..

- H. J; VAN & nammesnu.

BITLESS BRIDLB.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 31, 1906.

I" u nllll I .In? e7zZ@ rs flew Jm? UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY JACOB VAN AND ELLING ELLINGSEN, OF WEST SEATTLE, WASHINGTON.

BITLESS BRIDLE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, HENRY JACOB VAN and ELLING ELLINGSEN, citizens of the United States, residing at West Seattle, county of King, State of Washington, have jointly invented new and useful Improvements in Bitless Bridles, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings. The invention consists of the peculiar construction of an appliance to substitute for mouth bits or bars for bridles comprising two metallic levers A A revolving on lower ends of metallic axes B B, a curved metallic band C welded on or otherwise fastened to the axes D B, rings D D attached to upper ends of axes B B, a nose band E buckled on the axes B B and a strap F. To this appliance is attached the cheek straps P, headstall S, brow band T and throat latch 0, all of usual construction for bridles.

The construction is designed to be used instead of a mouth bit or bar for bridles in the guiding or driving of horses without placing a mouth bit or bar in the mouth of the horse and to be used for more freely guiding the horse with less exertion on the part of the driver, than when mouth bits or bars are used, and which will permit the horse to eat and drink without removing the bridle, and also to prevent soreness of the mouth of the horse and to prevent destruction of teeth which is often occasioned by reason of jerking or bad driving when mouth bits or bars are used.

The invention further consists of the peculiar construction, arrangement and combination of the variousparts, as more fully hereinafter described.

In the drawing, Figure 1, is a perspective view of our invention shown on the head of a horse. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the appliance suspended from the cheek straps but without the reins attached. Fig. 3 is a view of the levers shown from two different positions and also showing the construction of the axis and the position of the lever and metallic band on the axis.

A A are two metallic levers, one for each side of the jaw of the horse; each one is curved but in opposite directions from each other. We prefer to make them about six inches long. The front ends H of these levers are provided with an opening I so that the reins J can be buckled there to the levers. The levers are curved slightly outwards at front end H but in opposite directions from each other. We make a hole through each of the levers about 2% inches from the 4 front end H of the levers and about 3% inches from the back end L of the levers. We curve the back part L of the levers outwards and downwards thus preventing these ends of the levers from injuring the jaw of the horse when pressed against the sides thereof.

B B are two metallic axes or bars, the lower ends M of which are narrower than the upper ends N, the lower Patented Oct. 15, 1907.

1906. Seria1No.328.675.

' ends of the axes are made of such size as to fit into the holes K of levers A A and the levers are fastened securely at the lower ends M of these axes in such a manner that they will remain in position but turn easily thereon. At the upper end of these axes are rings D D into which the cheek straps P are buckled. The axes or bars are eachone about three inches long from the bottom to the ring.

C is a metallic band about one inch wide which is curved to adapt it to fit under the chin of the horse I and is welded or otherwise securely fastened at each end to one of the axes B B and next above the levers.

E is an adjustable noseband, generally made of leather, of sufficient length to go over the nose of a horse and is buckled to the axes B B between the metallic band C and the rings D D.

F is an adjustable strap of sufficient length to go under the chin of the horse and is buckled to the rings D D.

J are the reins; P are the cheek straps, S is the headstall, T is the brow band and O is the throatlatch.

The parts being thus constructed the operation is as follows: The metallic band C is welded or otherwise socurely fastened to the axes or bars B B so that the axes are held rigidly in their respective positions, one of the axes or bars being fastened to each end of the metallic band. The lower ends M of the axes are then passed through the holes K of the levers and the levers are held in their positions by any desired method that keep them from dropping off from the axes and which permits the lever to revolve freely on the axis. The nose band E is then buckled on the axes between the metallic band C and the rings D D at the top of the metallic bars. The strap F-is then buckled to the rings D D. To this appliance we connect a cheek strap P to each of the rings D D and connect the cheek straps with the head stall S, the brow band T and the throat latch O. The reins J are then attached through the openings in the ends of the levers A A. The bridle is placed on the head of the horse in the manner shown in Fig. 1, and so that the nose band E fits over the nose of the horse and the metallic band C and strap F fit under the chin of the horse.

To guide a horse when driving or riding we pull on the rein at the side of the horse to which we desire the horse to turn. This pulls the front end of the lever out from the side of the horses head and causes the back end of the lever to press on the chin on the side of the lower jaw of the horse, when the horse will turn to the side on which the back or lower end of the lever presses on the chin or lower jaw. To stop the horse or hold it I back we pull evenly on both reins. What we claim as our invention is:

strap bars secured in the ends thereof, a nose band secured to the bars, supporting rings mounted in the upper ends of the bars, and curved levers pivoted to the lower ends of the bars adapted to bear against the jaw of the animal.

3. In a bridle, the combination with a metallic chin strap, bars secured in the ends thereof, a nose band secured to the bars, supporting rings mounted in the upper ends of the bars, a second chin strap secured to the rings, and curved levers pivoted to the lower ends of the bars adapted to bear against the jaw of the animal.

4. A bridle comprising a metallic chin strap, bars secured in the ends thereof, a nose band secured to the bars, supporting rings mounted in the upper ends of the Witnesses A. A. ANDERSON, F. C. Li'roNius. 

